veil1 /veɪl/ ●○○ noun [countableC] → vale1 DCCa thin piece of material that women wear to cover their faces at formal occasions or for religious reasons 面纱 She lifted her veil with both hands. 她用双手揭开面纱。
3 draw a veil over something formalHIDE/NOT SHOW to avoid talking about something that happened in the past because it is unpleasant or embarrassing 把某事掩盖起来;避而不谈某事〔指不愉快或令人难堪的事〕 I think it best to draw a veil over the whole incident. 我认为这整件事最好是避而不谈。
draw a veil over something• His brain drew a veil over the sickening consequences.• The food is dumpling-based, substantial, and it would be kinder to draw a veil over the indigenous wine lake.
4 veil of secrecy/deceit/silence etc formalMYSTERIOUS something that hides the truth about a situation 神秘/虚假/沉默等的面纱 Watson deserves credit for lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding Brenda’s death. 揭开布伦达之死的神秘面纱是华生的功劳。
His pornography was covered by a veil of respectability. 他的色情作品蒙盖着体面的面纱。
5 veil of mist/cloud/smoke etc DNa thin layer of mist, cloud etc that makes it difficult to see clearly 一层薄雾/云/烟雾等 The moon was hidden behind a veil of clouds. 月亮躲在薄薄的云层后面。
veil of mist/cloud/smoke etc• The moon was hidden under a veil of clouds, and there was not a breath of wind.• Whose light retires behind its veil of cloud. 6. take the veil old-fashioned to become a nun 当修女